Terriers' Season Continues With NIT Trip To St. John's
March 19, 2003 | Men's Basketball
WHO: Boston University Terriers (20-10) at St. John’s University Red Storm (16-13). WHAT: 2003 Owens Corning National Invitation Tournament First Round. WHEN: Wednesday, March 19, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Alumni Hall (6,008), Jamaica, N. Y. B. U. RADIO/INTERNET: Wednesday’s B. U.-St. John’s men’s basketball game can be heard locally in the Boston area on WRCA 1330-AM (Waltham) and WCRN 830-AM (Worcester) with Rich Levine and Doug Guy calling the action. It can also be heard on the official B.U. athletics website at www.bu.edu/athletics/webcast. WTBU, B. U.’s student radio station, will also broadcast the game at 640 AM and 89.3 FM, or on the web at www.wtburadio.com
THE SERIES AGAINST ST. JOHN’S The Red Storm lead the all-time series, 1-0, although the two schools haven’t met in men’s basketball since Jan. 15, 1025, a span of over 78 years. St. John’s won that first and only game, 29-18.
TODAY’S GAME B. U. started its season in the pre-season NIT, with a 61-57 loss at Stanford, and will conclude it in the post-season NIT, starting with tonight’s game against St. John’s. B. U.’s season is extended with its third-ever NIT selection. The Terriers lost at Boston College in 1980 and at Providence in 1986. St. John’s is extending its own record with its 26th NIT appearance tonight. The Red Storm are coached by Mike Jarvis, who skippered the Terriers from 1985-90, leading them to their 1986 NIT appearance and a 1988 trip to the NCAA Tournament.
HOW B. U. AND ST. JOHN’S GOT HERE The Terriers find themselves in tonight’s NIT game after a 56-55 loss to Vermont in the America East Championship game on Saturday, March 15. After getting past Notre Dame, 83-80, in the opening round of the BIG EAST Tournament, the Red Storm fell to Boston College, 82-75, in overtime of their tourney quarterfinal matchup. B. U. is making its first-ever back-to-back trips to the post-season, and is looking for its first post-season victory since advancing to the NCAA Final 8 in 1959.
NEXT UP FOR B. U. The winner of tonight’s game will advance to play the winner of the Brown at Virginia matchup on either Monday, March 24 or Tuesday, March 25.
TERRIERS MAKING THIRD NIT TRIP, ST. JOHN’S HAS MOST NIT TITLES WITH FIVE The Terriers are making their third NIT appearance and are 0-2 in the other trips. In 1980, they lost at Boston College, 95-74. Six years later in 1986, the Terriers, led by current St. John’s head coach Mike Jarvis, lost at Providence, 72-69. Contrasting the Terriers’ relative lack of NIT experience, St. John’s holds the record for most appearances in the post-season NIT with 25, and most NIT titles with five. BOSTON UNIVERSITY IN THE NIT 3/10/80 at Boston College L 95-74 3/13/86 at Providence L 72-69 3/19/03 at St. John’s ?? ??
WOLFF, ASSISTANT COACH WILLIFORD WON 1992 NIT TITLE AT VIRGINIA B. U. head coach Dennis Wollf was an assistant at the University of Virginia in 1992 when the Cavaliers won the 1992 NIT title. Third-year assistant coach Jason Williford was a freshman on that UVa team. The only other time Wolff has been involved in the NIT was during the 1982-83 season as an assistant at St. Bonaventure.
LAST GAME: VERMONT TAKES AMERICA EAST NCAA BID WITH 56-55 WIN OVER B.U. Vermont won its first conference championship and will make its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance after a 56-55 victory over B. U. in the America East Championship game at B. U.’s Case Gym on March 15. Vermont opened the game with a 16-2 run. The veteran B. U. squad regained its composure, trimming the lead to 30-22 at the half. Paul Seymour put the Terriers on his back to open the second half as he single-handedly outscored the Catamounts, 11-2, in the first 4:12. The game would remain within two points the rest of the way. B. U. took a 55-54 lead on a big top-of-the-key trey by Ryan Butt with 3:15 left. The score would stay that way until the Catamounts’ final possession. Down one and with the clock under 10 seconds, UVM’s David Hehn drove right and hit an off-balance jumper to put Vermont up, 56-55, with less than three seconds to go. The Terriers’ Chaz Carr misfired on a tough three-pointer as time expired.
TERRIERS EARN SECOND STRAIGHT REGULAR-SEASON TITLE B. U. earned its second straight America East regular-season title with its 76-62 win over UNH on Feb. 26. Last year, the Terriers tied Vermont at the top with a 13-3 conference mark. UVM was the No. 1 seed in the tourney thanks to its regular-season sweep of the Terriers.
WOLFF GOING FOR VICTORY NO. 150 AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY In his ninth season at B. U., head coach Dennis Wolff brings a career record of 149-117 as the Terriers’ coach into tonight’s game. The all-time winningest coach in Terrier history, Wolff can earn his 150th win if B. U. claims a first-round NIT victory over St. John’s tonight.
Terriers OWN 905-905 OVERALL RECORD After 93 Seasons Of HOOPS Including its first 30 games this season, B. U. brings a 905-905 all-time record into tonight’s game.
TERRIERS PERFECT HOLDING THE LEAD LATE IN GAMES B. U. is 17-0 this season when leading the game with five minutes left in regulation, and 18-2 when leading at the half.
TERRIER’S SIX THREE-POINTERS SHY OF TYING TEAM RECORD The Terriers have made 197 three-pointers this season, and are currently six short of tying the team record of 203 set just last season. B. U.’s top five three-point seasons: 1. 2001-02 203 2. 2002-03 197 2. 2000-01 194 3. 1991-92 182 4. 1997-98 177
CONSISTENCY IN TEAM RECORDS THE LAST TWO SEASONS After 30 games this season, B. U. is 20-10, 13-3, nearly the same record as it had during last year’s NCAA Tournament run. At this same point last season, the Terriers were 21-9, 13-3, and preparing for their NCAA West Region first-round game against Cincinnati in Pittsburgh.
BELL LEADS TEAM IN SCORING THANKS TO HOT-SHOOTING OF LATE In the last 14 games, Rashad Bell has made 75-of-131 (.573) of his field goals. During that stretch, he has averaged 15.6 points and has moved into the team scoring lead at 11.8 points per game. He has scored in double figures in 12 of the 14 games and shot at least 50 percent in 10 of the 14.
TERRIERS GETTING CLUTCH FREE THROW SHOOTING LATE IN GAMES The Terriers make their free throws when they count - with under 1:00 left and in overtime. They have made 60-of-72 (.833) from the line this year in those situations. With under 1:00 left and the game on the line (up or down up five points or less), the Terriers are 22-of-26 (.846).
SEYMOUR BREAKS INTO TERRIERS’ CAREER SCORING TOP 15 With a pair of five-point games in the first two rounds of the America East Championship, Paul Seymour continued his move up B.U.’s career scoring list. He most recently passed Larry Jones (1985-88), who played under Mike Jarvis, to move into 14th place on the list. He enters today’s game with 1,136 points, and is currently just nine points behind Kevin Thomas (1953-56), who finished with 1,138 career points.
TERRIERS’ COACHING STAFF The 2002-03 season marks the third straight year the current coaching staff has been together at Boston University. Both head coach Dennis Wolff (Connecticut ‘78) and assistant coach Larry Greer (Northeastern ‘89) are currently in their ninth years at B. U. Orlando Vandross (American International ‘92) has been a Terrier assistant coach for six seasons, while Jason Williford (Virginia ‘95) is in his third year at B.U. As a staff, the quartet has a 56-33 (.629) overall record. Last year, the foursome led the Terriers to an America East title and an NCAA Tournament bid.
HOME COURT EDGE AT CASE STRONG Case Gymnasium, also known as “The Roof”, continued to provide the Terriers with a decided home court advantage this season. Last year, B.U. had a 10-2 home record, including its 66-40 triumph over Maine in the America East Championship game. Since the beginning of the 2000-01 season, the Terriers are 27-8 at home. Including this year’s 9-3 record, the Terriers are 160-71 at Case, and 74-29 under head coach Dennis Wolff.
B. U. SETS TEAM RECORD FOR FREE THROWS IN A GAME WITHOUT A MISS Twice this season, B. U. has set a team record for most free throws in a game without a miss. The Terriers went 18-for-18 from the free throw line in their 66-63 win at Albany on Jan. 8. Rashad Bell was the main reason why, going 13-for-13 from the line. Three other players took free throws in the game - both Billy Collins and Matt Turner were 2-for-2, and Ryan Butt was 1-for-1. The 18 free throws without a miss broke the old record of 15, set earlier this season against Ohio. Prior to that, you’ve got to go back to the 1982-83 season to find that the Terriers went 14-for-14 in an 84-51 home win over Colgate.
TERRIERS SET TEAM THREE-POINT RECORDS IN FLORIDA STATE VICTORY B. U. set team records for three-pointers made and attempted in its 84-69 win over Florida State in the first round of the Fiesta Bowl Classic on Dec. 28. The Terriers went 14-for-33 from behind the three-point line as Billy Collins, Matt Turner, and Chaz Carr each had four treys. The previous highs were also both set in a single game. B. U. went 12-for-31 in a 99-92 overtime loss to Hartford on Jan. 13, 1994.
Three-Point Field Goal Streak At 213 and Counting Boston University has made at least one three-point field goal in 213 consecutive games. The last time the Terriers were held scoreless from beyond the three-point arc was Feb. 10, 1996, when they missed each of their 10 three-point attempts at Vermont - a 75-72 Terrier loss. B. U. has hit three-pointers in 263 of the 266 games that Dennis Wolff has been the head coach.
TERRIERS BLOCK 12 CATAMOUNT SHOTS, SET TEAM RECORD B. U. played Vermont at Case Gym, a 65-62 win on Jan. 11. During that game, the Terriers blocked 12 Catamount shots, breaking the B. U. team record of 11, set in a home win over UVM on Feb. 13, 1997. Rashad Bell and Matt Czaplinski had career highs in blocks with five and four, respectively.
SUPERIOR DEPTH ACCOUNTS FOR MULTIPLE TEAM LEADERS, MINUTES The Terriers have exhibited superior depth over most of the teams they have played this season. Entering tonight’s game, eight Terriers are averaging over 19.7 minutes played. The B.U. bench has been doing an outstanding job of lending a hand on the offensive end. The Terriers’ bench has outscored its opposite number, 815-528, in those 30 games.
TERRIERS SPREADING TEAM STATISTICAL LEADERSHIP B. U. has proven that different players can and have “stepped up” to lead the team. This season, seven different Terriers have led the team in scoring, five have led in rebounding, seven have led the team in assists, 10 have had at least a share of the lead in blocked shots, and 11 have at least shared the lead in steals.
B. U. PLACES SIX IN DOUBLE-FIGURES SCORING FOR FIRST TIME THIS SEASON In B. U.’s 85-82 conference victory at Binghamton on Feb. 9, six Terriers reached double figures in scoring. Ryan Butt led the charge with 18 points. Rashad Bell added 16, and Chaz Carr had 14. Paul Seymour and Matt Turner each scored 11, while Billy Collins tallied 10. The Terriers have had two other games this season in which five players have scored in double figures as well - vs. Stony Brook on Jan. 15, and at New Hampshire on Jan. 22.
Seymour, TURNER, COLLINS ON career three-point list Seniors Paul Seymour and Billy Collins and junior Matt Turner are each moving up the Terriers’ career three-pointers made list. Seymour has made 192 total three-pointers in his three-plus seasons. He is third on the list. Turner has made 128 and is in eighth place on the list. Senior Billy Collins, with 112, is ninth. How they stack up to other Terrier marksmen: No. Player 3-Ptrs Years 1. Mark Daly 202 88-92 2. Mike Costello 196 96-00 3. Paul Seymour 192 99-pres 4. Reggie Stewart 174 87-91 5. Billy Beal 163 95-99 6. LeVar Folk 157 95-99 7. Danny Delgardo 130 91-94 8. Matt Turner 128 99-pres 9. Billy Collins 112 00-pres
BELL EARNS THIRD PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOR On March 3, Rashad Bell was named the America East Co-Player of the Week for his play during the week of Feb. 24 - March 2. He scored a career-high 26 points in a 76-65 road victory at Northeastern on March 2, shooting 7-for-9 from the field. Against UNH on Feb. 26, he added 14 points and nine rebounds. It was his third career Player of the Week honor this season. He also won the award on Jan. 13 and Feb. 10.
BUTT RECORDS THIRD CAREER DOUBLE-DOUBLE Despite playing only 19 minutes at New Hampshire on Jan. 22, Ryan Butt tallied his first point-rebound double-double of the season with 11 points and a team season-high 13 rebounds. It was his third career double-double. He accomplished the feat twice last season.
TURNER SHARES AMERICA EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD On Jan. 6, Matt Turner shared the America East’s Player of the Week award with Northeastern’s Syl Robinson. Turner scored a season-high 27 points in the Terriers’ 70-65 overtime win over Binghamton on Jan. 4. In the Fiesta Bowl Classic, he was a large reason why the Terriers defeated Florida State, scoring all 18 of his points in the final 12:29 of the game to lift B. U. to the 84-69 win. Against No. 4 Arizona, he scored 11 points to help keep the Terriers close down the stretch. The award was the third of his career.
COLLINS EARNS HIS FIRST AMERICA EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD Billy Collins earned his first-ever America East Player of the Week award on Dec. 16 after averaging 15.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in the Terriers’ two home games, a 58-55 loss to George Washington on Dec. 11 and a 78-57 victory over Ohio on Dec. 13. Despite being named to the All-Conference First Team last year, he had never won the Player of the Week award until now.
COLLINS NETS FIFTH DOUBLE-DOUBLE OF THE SEASON AND 13TH OF CAREER Billy Collins has tallied five double-doubles so far this season. His most recent came during an 85-82 win at Binghamton on Feb. 9. Collins scored 10 points and added 11 rebounds in the win. His 13 career double-doubles lead the team. A listing of all of the Terriers who have tallied double-doubles this season can be found later in these notes.
TERRIERS SIGN TWO DURING EARLY SIGNING PERIOD Boston University received National Letters of Intent from Pat Martin, a 6-foot-2 guard from Cathedral High School in Springfield, Mass., and Douglass McLaughlin-Williams, a 6-foot-7 forward from South Lakes High School in Reston, Va. Martin averaged 17 points, five rebounds, and seven assists during his junior season, helping Cathedral (22-3) win the Massachusetts Division I State title in 2002. McLaughlin-Williams earned All-Concorde District First Team honors as a junior, when he averaged 12 points, six rebounds, and two assists for South Lakes. The pair will begin play for B. U. in the 2003-04 season.
BRET GLADSTONE TO JOIN TERRIERS IN 2003-04 SEASON Bret Gladstone, a 6-foot-1, 170-lb guard from Greenwich, Conn., will join the B. U. men’s basketball team and will be eligible to play beginning in the second semester of the 2003-04 season it was announced on Jan. 30. A transfer from the University of Virginia, where he played in six games as a freshman in 2001-02, Gladstone finished his scholastic career at the Brunswick School as the third all-time leading scorer in Connecticut high school history with 2,468 points. Gladstone’s father, Steve, was a former men’s basketball player and team captain at Boston University from 1967-70.
COLLINS, FITZGERALD, TURNER NAMED 2002-03 TRI-CAPTAINS Senior Billy Collins and juniors Kevin Fitzgerald and Matt Turner are team captains this season. It is the third straight season that Collins has drawn captain’s duties, while Fitzgerald and Turner are in their first seasons.
TERRIERS RAISED 2002 AMERICA EAST CHAMPIONSHIP BANNER The Boston University men’s basketball team added the number “2002” to its America East Championship banner in a pregame ceremony before its game against Columbia on Nov. 18. The Terriers were celebrating last year’s conference championship - their fifth America East Championship, which allowed them to make their sixth NCAA Tournament appearance.
Wolff All-Time Leader in Coaching Wins at B. U. With a 69-42 victory over Hartford on Jan. 22, 2001, Terrier head coach Dennis Wolff became Boston University’s all-time leader in coaching wins when he earned victory number 102. Wolff passed Mike Jarvis, now the head coach at St. John’s, who was 101-51 in five seasons at B. U. Including the Terriers’ first 30 games this season, Wolff’s career mark at B. U. is 149-117 (.557). BOSTON U. ALL-TIME COACHING WINS ## COACH W-L YEARS 1. Dennis Wolff 149-117 94-pres 2. Mike Jarvis 101-51 85-90 3. Matt Zunic 96-58 52-59 4. Rick Pitino 91-51 78-83
Wolff Signs New Seven-Year Contract On May 23, 2002, Dennis Wolff signed a new seven-year contract which will carry him through the 2008-09 season at B. U. Wolff, the all-time winningest coach in B. U. men’s basketball history, has a 149-117 record in his eight-plus years at B.U. He has led the Terriers to America East Conference championships and NCAA Tournament trips in both 1997 and 2002.
WOLFF’S DAUGHTER, NICOLE, IN FIRST SEASON AT NATIONAL POWER UCONN Dennis Wolff’s daughter, Nicole, is a freshman on the University of Connecticut basketball team. Nicole has averaged 6.2 points and 4.4 rebounds having started each of the team’s first 10 games. Unfortunately, she sustained a stress fracture in her left foot, and she will sit out the remainder of the season. Before her injury, she had an 18-point effort in a win over Wright State on Nov. 22. Nicole, the 2002 McDonalds National High School Player of the Year, led her Walpole High School team to the 2002 Massachusetts State Championship, averaging 22.9 point and 15.5 rebounds per game. Wolff himself was a player at Connecticut, during the 1976-77 and 77-78 seasons. Wolff’s older son, Matt, who is a junior at Walpole, is also an excellent basketball player. UConn starts defense of its NCAA National Championship with a game against the Boston University women’s basketball team on Sunday, March 23 at 12 p.m. in Storrs.
